Abstract
Teacher-rated ADHD and normal control children were administered a continuous performance test (CPT), and were then further subdivided based upon the presence or absence of objectively assessed attentional deficits. In addition, children were assessed using several measures of cognitive and behavioral functioning. Attentional deficits were signficantly more prevalent among the ADHD group, but about half of the ADHD children showed no evidence of objectively assessed attentional dysfunction. Further group analyses indicated that ADHD children with objectively assessed attentional dysfunction appeared cognitively impaired, while ADHD children without objective evidence of attentional dysfunction had more conduct problems. CPT inattention was not related to the presence of cognitive impairments or conduct problems in the control group. These data must be considered preliminary because teacher ratings were the only source of diagnosis and a single measure of inattention was used. However, they suggest that two subtypes of ADHD children can be identified, one characterized by inattention and learning problems, and the other by conduct problems.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abikoff, H., Gittelman-Klein, R., & Klein, D. F. (1977). Validation of a classroom observation code for hyperactive children.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 45, 772–783.
American Psychiatric Association (1980).Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
American Psychiatric Association (1987).Diagnosic and statistical manual of mental disorders. (3rd ed., revised). Washington DC: Author.
Atkins, M. S., Pelham, W. E., & Licht, M. H. (1985). A comparison of objective classroom measures and teacher ratings of attention deficit disorders.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 13, 155–167.
August, G. J., & Garfinkel, B. D. (1989). Behavioral and cognitive subtypes of ADHD.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 28, 739–748.
Conners, C. K. (1969). A teacher rating scale for use in drug studies with children.American Journal of Psychiatry, 126, 884–888.
Douglas, V. & Peters, K. G. (1979). Toward a clearer definition of the attentional deficit of hyperactive children. In G. A. Hale & M. Lewis (Eds.),Attention and the development of cognitive skills (pp. 173–247). New York: Plenum Press.
Goyette, C. H., Conners, C. K., & Ulrich, R. F. (1978). Normative data on revised Conners parent and teacher rating scales.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 6, 221–236.
Halperin, J. M., O'Brien, J. D., Newcorn, J. H., Healy, J. M., Pascualvaca, D. M., Wolf, L. E., & Young, J. G. (1990). Validation of hyperactive, agressive, and mixed hyperactive/aggressive childhood disorders.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 31, 455–459.
Halperin, J. M., Wolf, L. E., Pascualvaca, D. M., Newcorn, J. H., Healey, J. M., O'Brien, J. D., Morganstein, A., and Young, J. G. (1988). Differential assessment of attention and impulsivity in children.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 27, 326–329.
Jastak, S., & Wilkinson, G. S. (1984).Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised. Wilmington, DE: Jastak.
Klee, S. H., & Garfinkel, B. D. (1983). A computerized continuous performance task: A new measure of inattention.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 11, 487–469.
Koriath, U., Gualtieri, C. T., Van Bourgondien, M. E., Quade, D., & Werry, J. S. (1985). Construct validity of clinical diagnosis in pédiatric psychiatry: Relationship among measures.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 24, 429–436.
McGee, R., Williams, S., & Silva, P. A. (1984). Behavioral and developmental characteristics of aggressive, hyperactive and aggressive-hyperactive boys.Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 23, 270–279.
Milich, R., Loney, J., & Landau, S. (1982). Independent dimensions of hyperactivity and aggression: A validation with playroom observation data.Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 91, 183–198.
Newcorn, J., Halperin, J. M., Healey, J. M., O'Brien, J. D., Pascualvaca, D. M., Wolf, L. E., Morganstein, A., Sharma, V., & Young, J.G. (1989). Are attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder the same or different?Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 28, 734–738.
Porrino, L. J., Rapoport, J. L., Behar, D., Sceery, W., Ismond, D. R., & Bunney, Jr., W. E. (1983). A naturalistic assessment of the motor activity in hyperactive boys: I. Comparison with normal controls.Archives of General Psychiatry, 40, 681–687.
Rapoport, J. L., Buchsbaum, M. S., Weingartner, H., Zahn, T. P., Ludlow, C., & Mikkelsen, E. J. (1980). Dextroamphetamine: Cognitive and behavioral effects in normal and hyperactive boys and normal men.Archives of General Psychiatry, 37, 933–943.
Rosvold, H. E., Mirsky, A. F., Sarason, I., Bransome, E., Jr., & Beck, L. H. (1956). A continuous performance test of brain damage.Journal of Consulting Psychology, 20, 343–350.
Schachar, R., Rutter, M., Smith, A. (1981). The characteristics of situationally and pervasively hyperactive children: Implications for syndrome definition.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 22, 375–392.
Schachar, R., Sandberg, S., & Rutter, M. (1986). Agreement between teacher ratings and observations of hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and defiance.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 14, 331–345.
Shapiro, S. K., & Garfinkel, B. D. (1986). The occurrence of behavior disorders in children: The interdependence of attention deficit disorder and conduct disorder.Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 25, 809–819.
Sykes, D. H., Douglas, V. I., Weiss, G. & Minde, K. K. (1971). Attention in hyperactive children and the effect of methylphenidate (Ritalin).Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 12, 129–139.
van der Meere, J., & Sergeant, J., (1987). A divided attention experiment in pervasively hyperactive children.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 15, 379–391.
van der Meere, J., & Sergeant, J. (1988a). Focussed attention in pervasively hyperactive children.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 16, 627–640.
van der Meere, J., & Sergeant, J. (1988b). Controlled processing and vigilance in hyperactivity: Time will tell.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 16, 641–656.
Werry, J. S., Elkind, G. S., & Reeves, J. C. (1987). Attention deficit, conduct, oppositional, and anxiety disorders in children: III. Laboratory differences.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 15, 409–428.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Sister Hildegard Kogler and the St. Francis DeSales School, and the parents and children who participated in this study.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Halperin, J.M., Newcorn, J.H., Sharma, V. et al. Inattentive and noninattentive ADHD children: Do they constitute a unitary group?. J Abnorm Child Psychol 18, 437–449 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00917645
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00917645